In the early 1990s, mass bee die-offs began near fields treated with Bayer's imidacloprid-based neonicotinoids in France. Internal emails revealed Bayer celebrated its 'Bee Care' program as a 'crisis PR strategy.' Lobbying documents show a decade-long industry effort to obstruct restrictions. The EU banned common neonicotinoids in 2013 (permanent in 2018). In the US, industry lobbied to block similar restrictions and cast themselves as part of the solution. Bayer quietly shut down the North American Bee Care Center in 2019.